(CNN) - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is coming under fire from state lawmakers, including members of her own party, over her decision to spend half of the final three days of the legislative session to headline a pro-life dinner in Indiana.

"There are some concerns [in the Capitol] about the focus of our chief executive because she's taken a speaking engagement in Indiana for a 36-hour period with only 72 hours left in the legislative session," state Rep. Jay Ramras of Fairbanks told the Anchorage Daily News.

Earlier, Palin had opted to skip a number of events, including the annual Conservative Political Action conference in Washington. Her aides had cited the demands of the state's legislative session. This weekend, she defended her decision. "I'll be gone for one day. I already have been on record with lawmakers on this," she told the ADN. "I told lawmakers, you know what, 'Please, don't make me feel that I have to ask you permission, lawmakers, to leave the capital city.' "

Two thorny issues remain unresolved as the session draws to a close. Lawmakers want to accept all the stimulus money that has been offered the state, while Palin wants to reject about a third of the nearly $931 million the federal government has offered. And her controversial pick for attorney general - the outspoken Wayne Anthony Ross - has not yet been confirmed.

soundoff(299 Responses)

Ken in NC

Gov. Palin said, 'Please, don't make me feel that I have to ask you permission, lawmakers, to leave the capital city.' " WOW. I am not an Alaska Lawmaker but as far as I am concerned, she does not need to ask permission. She can go anytime and never return and she would be doing the citizens of Alaska a big favor.

Will this Village Idiot ever get the message that she is an ineffective Gov. pretending to be a leader?

April 13, 2009 01:03 pm at 1:03 pm |

Johny

Tulsa L wrote:

"I don't understand the Republicans that are Pro-Life….. but are still for this war that is killing our men and women on a daily or weekly basis …..and Stem Cell studies that could save lifes , they are against it……doesn't make sense, to me is sounds like they are talking out of both sides of their mouths…..where is their PRO-Life on these issues"

You are comparing apples to oranges. These brave men and women were not drafted to join the military; They "volunteered" for it.

April 13, 2009 01:04 pm at 1:04 pm |

Rich

LOL! Too funny, people criticizing Sarah for being away one day, when it was prearranged. How much time of Oblunder's Senatoral stint was spent "on the road" campaigning! Go Sarah.

April 13, 2009 01:04 pm at 1:04 pm |

TBA

This another way for her to run away from her problems in the state. She is basically, trying to set her self up for a run at the White House, it to show you how much she actually cares what happen to her state and how much she really wants to help her state.

April 13, 2009 01:04 pm at 1:04 pm |

Anna Lynne

As a Canadian, I cringe when Palin rears her head and flies over our airspace to get to the lower 48 to promote herself

April 13, 2009 01:05 pm at 1:05 pm |

Fred the Moderate

It's all, as suspected, political. She just wants to duck being there when their legislature approves an override to her veto of stim. money. She's a fake all they way to the soles of her shoes.

April 13, 2009 01:05 pm at 1:05 pm |

Emma, San Jose

Palin's escape is sort of like McCain's rush to Washington to "fix" the economy. Let it rest, Sarah. We have been killing alive soldiers and Iraq citizens with no holds barred.

April 13, 2009 01:05 pm at 1:05 pm |

Brent

It's not about permission. It's about priorities.

April 13, 2009 01:05 pm at 1:05 pm |

carol

Going to a prolife dinner during the last few days of the legislative session is not exactly a high priority. Methinks she is dodging real life politics because of her incompetence. I don't think it will make much difference if she is out of Alaska or not, given her inability to govern.

April 13, 2009 01:05 pm at 1:05 pm |

Michael in Pittsburgh

Give the poor woman a break! The Indian Pro-Life dinner obviously pays better than the annual Conservative Political Action conference. I mean, really! She does have to pay taxes on the money that she tried to cheat Alaska out of for living in her own house.

April 13, 2009 01:05 pm at 1:05 pm |

Jen

Are all these pro lifers willing to pay extra money in taxes to support the medical care, education, feeding, clothing, etc. etc. of all these unwanted babies they want people to have?

April 13, 2009 01:07 pm at 1:07 pm |

Lynne

I agree with Vgal. Sarah Palin is a constant source of amusement. I
know that no matter what she says or does, it will be something weird
or funny , so I look forward to my laugh for the day. Alaska, she's making Republicans in your state look like stand-up comedians. I can't wait for the SNL skits in the 2012 !

April 13, 2009 01:07 pm at 1:07 pm |

kevin

Jay Ramras has proven himself a fool and biased. We do not pay attention to him up here so I would advise the other 49 states to ignore him as well.

April 13, 2009 01:08 pm at 1:08 pm |

RRR

Jay Ramras: Please be aware...the focus of Sarah Palin is......SARAH PALIN. You and the state are a distant second.

April 13, 2009 01:08 pm at 1:08 pm |

chelle

To the people who keep repeating "she's the most popular governor". Yes she is – by virtue of oil revenues. It doesn't mean she's particularly brilliant (see Katie Couric interviews) but that when the state revenues are huge, a deficit is darn near impossible. When you hand out revenue bonuses to your citizens, yeah they are going to like you. There's only 600,000 people to satisfy....a lot easier than several million in just one city.

April 13, 2009 01:08 pm at 1:08 pm |

Barb

To those who believe that the Democrats are out to destroy Sarah Palin, the only person destroying Sarah Palin is Sarah Palin. Every time she opens her mouth–every grammatically butchered sentence, every self-serving decision, every attempt to defend her incompetence and her family drama–makes her look more foolish. But that's not even surprising! She is by no means the first public figure to make a fool of herself/himself publicly. The really shocking part of this whole melodrama is that there are still people who think she could be president. I think my cat is as qualified as she is!!! How can this still even be intelligently discussed???

April 13, 2009 01:10 pm at 1:10 pm |

Annie

HA! A lip stick wearing pit bull or was it a pig wearing lipstick? Whichever, whatever she's still a joke. We have the McCain Campaing to thank for this ongoing comedy of this evil and uneducated woman. Geesh she must have been a party girl C- journalism studen, intelligent she's not.

April 13, 2009 01:13 pm at 1:13 pm |

janet

Some republican's threw Palin and mCcain into campaign knowing that Obama will beat anybody due to better ideas, and some people still think that Palin is what they need. Let's see and wait till 2012...Republican party will present other people, let's say, Romney? Reps are kinda lost but they are not so stupid and funny like Steele, Palin, they are talking their time, and they know its not their time, they let you play with all this stupidity. I am a democrat but i believe there are many smart people in every party.

April 13, 2009 01:13 pm at 1:13 pm |

Bill B. Nancy, KY

The sad saga continues.....

April 13, 2009 01:13 pm at 1:13 pm |

Dave

Palin is like a bad joke that just won't leave. She has her followers and they are what have turned the GOP into the joke. This bunch of folks who have no grasp of being fiscal conservatives, they are taking over the GOP and turning it into the religious nanny party. They want industry to be free to steal and people to be free to obey religious dogma. The Palin GOP has more in common with the Taliban than the old GOP or Lincoln.

April 13, 2009 01:14 pm at 1:14 pm |

Terry

@ VGAL.... You hit it right on point.. You can't make this stuff up and my wife stop taping the soap opera's because of Sarah!

LoL – She is wonderful and she keeps our mind off of our current Money problems and jobs! Love it! Good Laughs and good for the spirit and soul....

April 13, 2009 01:15 pm at 1:15 pm |

Frozone

Palin is too busy running for president and taking pot shots at her daughter's baby daddy to run Alaka's government. Then again, Alaska doesn't have many electoral college votes, so that's why Palin doesn't care.

April 13, 2009 01:15 pm at 1:15 pm |

Tony

Keep it up Sarah, you scared the crap out of me running for office. I am much more at ease now to see you smash your political career to pieces, whew!
Can't beleive people wanted Palin to respresent anything other than ultra-hormonal mothers who cant control thier libido.

Every female elder in my family has more class, skill and political knowledge than Palin could hope for.

April 13, 2009 01:16 pm at 1:16 pm |

Cevin

If I was a republican, the last person I would want making statements for me or the party would be Sarah Palin. She prides her speaches on ignorance and arrogance, which is not a healthy subsitute for being informed and showing strength.

April 13, 2009 01:17 pm at 1:17 pm |

Kiki

Ok, on one hand Sarah Palin is not really needed some say, and then on the other hand, they don't want her to leave Alaska for one day?!!! Hello, you can't have it both ways. Maybe she is just practicing for a senate seat because that is pretty much what our congress does every year without anyone saying anything about it. They come and go as they please and still collect their big paychecks and ge their big pensions paid for by us the taxpayer. Why don't you all complain about that????